Asperger’s syndrome is a neurological condition. It isn’t a psychological disorder like depression or anxiety that might go away with time and therapy. Asperger’s and other Autism Spectrum disorders are in a category the American Psychiatric Association labels Pervasive Developmental Disorders. The name itself reveals that this syndrome is a permanent, physiological condition. We have general motor clumsiness, especially for large-muscle coordination. This is part of why we tend to dislike and avoid sports, especially team sports which put our social and physical clumsiness on display.
It may be hard to see, but those of us with Asperger’s have a disability. It may be masked by superficial normalcy, or adequate intelligence, but we are disabled just the same. Most of us with Asperger’s also have overly effective senses. In fact, Asperger’s Syndrome is often comorbid with Sensory Integration Deficiency or Sensory Defensiveness, conditions that arise from a nervous system that is too proficient. Every sense can give us trouble. For many with Asperger’s, sounds are the biggest distraction. Ticking clocks, booming pipes, buzzing fluorescent lights and the 60-cycle hum of electrical equipment can be as intolerable for us as fingernails on an old-fashioned chalkboard may be to you. Imagine trying to attend to a lesson, read a book or concentrate on a test while someone was dragging fingernails down a chalkboard. Would it be enough to tell yourself, “just ignore it.” “Just ignore it.” is the universal first response when someone with Asperger’s raises a sensory complaint, but that just isn’t possible. Part of the syndrome is an inability to selectively block out undesirable stimuli. My personal issues tend more toward tactile sensitivity. I cannot wear any shirt with a perceptible tag in the collar. Clothing with “rough” or “scratchy” fabric is intolerable. I love the feel of microfiber, flannel and silk, but don’t ever want rough nylon, wool or textured cotton against my skin. It drives me crazy. We Aspies know that some forms of lighting, or glare from surfaces can have the same effect. We sometimes change our seating or request to draw blinds or shades to even out the lighting. I don’t mind fluorescents, but I always sit with my back to windows if I can. Even on overcast days I wear sunglasses. Smells and taste are less likely to show up as classroom distractions, but it might help to know that people with Asperger’s sometimes have a condition called Synesthesia, where sensory input is crossed up. In that condition, intense colors can evoke smells, abrupt sounds can causes visual hallucinations etc. If I tell you something like that is happening, please take it seriously and help me adjust.
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